Pat Venditte is a switch pitcher, capable of pitching proficiently with both arms. He is recognized as the only active professional pitcher who is able to do this.
Venditte's rare ambidextrous abilities prompted the MLB to adopt a new rule for dealing with ambidextrous pitchers, known colloquially as the "Pat Venditte Rule". This rule essentially requires any ambidextrous pitcher to declare which hand he will use to pitch to a batter before the at-bat starts, and to throw with that hand through the entire at-bat.
Source:
Dan Formosa & Paul Hamburger, Baseball Field Guide (New York: The Experiment Publishing, 2016) 72–73
The Boston Beaneaters?
The MLB record for the highest batting average in a single season (.440) is held by Hugh Duffy, who played for the Boston Beaneaters in 1894.
Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan played in more seasons (27) than any other player in modern (since 1900) major league history. Ryan ranks first all-time in strikeouts (5,714), fewest hits allowed per nine innings (6.56), and no-hitters (7).
In a game against Chicago, a Nolan Ryan fastball hit Robin Ventura in the arm. The young White Sox batter stormed the mound and tried to attack a man 20 years his senior. Ryan responded to Ventura’s attack by putting the Ventura in a headlock, and punching the top of his head, making the batter pay for his overaggressive tactics. Ventura was ejected from the game, and Ryan continued pitching.
In a game against Chicago, a Nolan Ryan fastball hit Robin Ventura in the arm. The young White Sox batter stormed the mound and tried to attack a man 20 years his senior. Ryan responded to Ventura’s attack by putting the Ventura in a headlock, and punching the top of his head, making the batter pay for his overaggressive tactics. Ventura was ejected from the game, and Ryan continued pitching.
Why does the umpire give the catcher a new ball every time one gets scuffed?
Back in the day it was every player’s job to dirty up the baseball. It would be smeared with dirt, liquorice, or tobacco juice; it was deliberately scuffed, sandpapered, scarred, cut, even spiked.
The result was a misshapen, earth-coloured ball that traveled through the air erratically, and as it came over the plate, was very hard to see.
The result was a misshapen, earth-coloured ball that traveled through the air erratically, and as it came over the plate, was very hard to see.
No one thought much about this until 1920 - more than two decades before teams started wearing helmets - when a batter named Ray Chapman was fatally hit by a pitch that he barely saw. Soon after, umpires were instructed to keep new, clean balls in play.
Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns, Baseball, an Illustrated History (New York: Alfred A. Knoff, 1994) p 153.
Yankees Legend Lou Gerhig
Lou Gehrig had a career…
- .340 batting average
- .632 slugging average
- .447 on base average
He hit 493 home runs and had 1,995 RBIs and set several major league records during his career, including…
- Most career grand slams (23), a record since broken by Alex Rodriguez.
- Most consecutive games played (2,130), a record that stood for 56 years until surpassed by Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1995.
Gehrig's streak ended on May 2, 1939. His play was being hampered by the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an incurable disorder sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease.
The disease forced him to retire at age 36 and was the cause of his death two years later.
The pathos of his farewell from baseball was capped off by his iconic 1939 "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech at Yankee Stadium.
Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns, Baseball, an Illustrated History (New York: Alfred A. Knoff, 1994)
Touch 'em all, Joe!
On Oct 21, 1993, with the Phillies facing elimination, Curt Schilling shut out the Blue Jays on 147 pitches in game 5 of the World Series.
In game 6, with Toronto behind in the bottom of the ninth inning, Joe Carter hit a home run to win the series for the Jays.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B537BOPgPb4
This was the first time in MLB history that a come-from-behind walk-off home run won a World Series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B537BOPgPb4
This was the first time in MLB history that a come-from-behind walk-off home run won a World Series.
Sources:
Kevin Reavy and Ryan Spader, Incredible Baseball Stats (New York: Sports Publishing, 2016) p. 40.
http://espn.go.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments/43
Kevin Reavy and Ryan Spader, Incredible Baseball Stats (New York: Sports Publishing, 2016) p. 40.
http://espn.go.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments/43
Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio?
Joe DiMaggio holds the MLB record for the longest hitting streak (56 games).
He led the New York Yankees to 9 World Series titles in 13 years.
He led the New York Yankees to 9 World Series titles in 13 years.
Paul Simon immortalized DiMaggio in his song "Mrs. Robinson." Simon's favourite Yankee was actually Mickey Mantle, and when Dick Cavett asked why Mantle's name wasn't used instead of DiMaggio, Simon replied "It's about syllables, Dick. It's about how many beats there are."
Mickey Mantle, DiMaggio's successor in centerfield at Yankee Stadium, said Joe was "beyond question one of the greatest players of the century”.
On an episode of Seinfeld, the characters stared in awe as they saw Joe DiMaggio in Jerry's coffee shop. (Kramer claimed to have seen him earlier at Dinky Doughnuts, where he'd banged on the table to test DiMaggio's concentration.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcH6stP5zDY&feature=related
Sources:
http://destinyland.net/Joe_DiMaggio_vs_Paul_Simon_and_Garfunkel.htm
http://baseballhall.org/hof/dimaggio-joe
Mickey Mantle, DiMaggio's successor in centerfield at Yankee Stadium, said Joe was "beyond question one of the greatest players of the century”.
On an episode of Seinfeld, the characters stared in awe as they saw Joe DiMaggio in Jerry's coffee shop. (Kramer claimed to have seen him earlier at Dinky Doughnuts, where he'd banged on the table to test DiMaggio's concentration.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcH6stP5zDY&feature=related
Sources:
http://destinyland.net/Joe_DiMaggio_vs_Paul_Simon_and_Garfunkel.htm
http://baseballhall.org/hof/dimaggio-joe
High or Low?
In the 1880's hitters were allowed to request a high or low pitch, and the umpire— there was only one for each game— could ask the spectators for help if he missed seeing a play.
Hample, Zack. Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. p128
Hample, Zack. Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. p128
Curse of the Bambino
The Curse of the Bambino was a superstition evolving from the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the World Series in the 86-year period from 1918 to 2004.
This misfortune began after the Red Sox sold star player Babe Ruth, sometimes called The Bambino, to the New York Yankees in the off-season of 1919 -1920. Before that point, the Red Sox had been one of the most successful professional baseball franchises, winning the first World Series and amassing five World Series titles.
This misfortune began after the Red Sox sold star player Babe Ruth, sometimes called The Bambino, to the New York Yankees in the off-season of 1919 -1920. Before that point, the Red Sox had been one of the most successful professional baseball franchises, winning the first World Series and amassing five World Series titles.
Former Red Sox pitcher Bill Lee suggested that to break the curse, the Red Sox should exhume the body of Babe Ruth, transport it back to Fenway and publicly apologize for trading Ruth to the Yankees.
Baseball Idioms
Ever wonder how many baseball idioms there are? Here's what I came up with:
I'll touch base with you later. In the mean time, make sure you cover all your bases. And don't drop the ball on this. We're down to our last out.
I'll touch base with you later. In the mean time, make sure you cover all your bases. And don't drop the ball on this. We're down to our last out.
It's a whole new ball game, so you're going to have to step up to the plate.
These numbers aren't even in the ball park; You're way off base.
He's really on the ball. Every once in a while he'll throw you a curve.
I'm in a rush. Just give me the run down.
That comment came out of left field, you bush-leaguer. You're not playing ball. You're just grandstanding.
She plays hard ball and I struck out.
He got it right off the bat.
I can't get there in time so you're up.
She went to bat for me and knocked it right out of the park.
You're in the big-leagues now, you screwball.
My schedule is hit and miss so I'll have to take a rain check.
So far, we're batting a thousand, but these guys are heavy hitters.
That comment came out of left field, you bush-leaguer. You're not playing ball. You're just grandstanding.
She plays hard ball and I struck out.
He got it right off the bat.
I can't get there in time so you're up.
She went to bat for me and knocked it right out of the park.
You're in the big-leagues now, you screwball.
My schedule is hit and miss so I'll have to take a rain check.
So far, we're batting a thousand, but these guys are heavy hitters.
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